Symphony of Deliverance
by Kusumita
Summary: At times, Zuko wishes he could return to the days of when he was seventeen- when the world was simple and made so much more sense. His relationship was stable, his children didn't hate him and the world was actually at peace- unlike now, ten years later.
1. Prologue

Hola Avatar fandom! I'm here with an attempt at a chapter long fic! I'm most known for my incest stories here but... this one is actually not going to be based around incest. But there will be some in here. Along with homosexuality and a lot of other things Avatar would not have covered- so this is just a warning. Its a lot darker than most fics would imagine and I hope its a tad bit more original than the others.. because the characters wouldn't stay the same after ten years and you can't expect them all to last in fairtale happiness, so that would explain the slight OC.

But I hope it works....somewhat.

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**Symphony of Deliverance  
Prologue**

At times, Zuko wishes he could return to the days of when he was seventeen- when the world was simple and made so much more sense.

But those days have faded into charred memories of the 'Golden Era' of their former Lord Ozai and his destruction. Fire Lord Zuko became his title against the once shamed 'Banished Prince' and not it seemed more like an attainted dream which- when inspected- felt far emptier than the holes of the Underworld. Perhaps, it was another of his foolish dreams which kept him awake and Mai on edge each time he would awake in a terrified fervor that Azula had killed herself in the prison cell. To her, the former glory of the Fire Nation, this was a torturous hell in which she wanted to escape- Zuko knew this would any doubt in his mind that, if given the chance, her death would be the one thing she would ask for.

She does this, each time he visits and each time he clenches his eyes closed and bangs his fist against the metal door with a screaming 'NO'. She never replies afterwards and merely hangs her head in a passive aggression which she knows kills him on the inside that he cannot see her eyes- he cannot see the pain and the dishonor in her mind and it ruins him into shakes. Once he tried to hold her, he had opened the door and taken her into his arms but she had used it to shriek loudly and burn his arm- after that moment she was detained to harder chains where she could no longer move. Walk for two hours each day and she would be fed by the guards- never is her arms to be free.

Zuko could not seem weak before his subjects- and so he authorized it, Mai screaming at him that very night for his disgusting behavior at his sister. Not once would he lose his temper at her, he refused to argue back and merely took the onslaught of rage and humiliation with a bowed head.

At the age of twenty three, Zuko found out for the first time the feeling of a dropped heart. He felt so sick that he stumbled back into his bedroom before collapsing on the floor and retching back his large lunch and shaking above it. Azula had, during the darkened hours of the heartless night, bitten her tongue to die. Her suicide was successful due to the fact no one had found her until the morning and by then, hour had passed and the blood was all over her body and the chains. Gagging, the guards called for the doctors in hope- but her motionless body and the fact she wouldn't wake up after slaps and hits proved that there was nothing left.

Zuko brought his fingers to his lips before he felt the heat against his throat and his stomach tossing, once more he threw up any substances within his stomach onto the floor before he ended up coughing and hacking. It wasn't until Mai had arrived home from visiting a friend did she find her husband, sprawled on the floor near a puddle of vomit with an old faded picture in his shaking hand- she called for a servant to clean up the waste before asking a guard to help him to his bed. Once it was done, Mai left the room to attend to the children- unsure of what to do to make her husband better- and Zuko hadn't the heart to tell her the need he had for a semblance of affection, for ever time his mouth opened he felt the burning of his throat once again.

It was around that time, and months following, did the Fire Nation find itself facing difficulties. Famine, drought and unrest among the people due to their Fire Lord's weakened state- getting into slow contact with the Southern Water Tribe through his messengers he found out of melting ice and more natural unbalances within their area. Sokka, chief of the area, had already planned to visit and discuss it but the Avatar and his wife thought best they go- the soldier agreed and stayed to keep civil and morale hope among his people who became more and more dejected with the horrors.

The Earth Kingdom promised to send an ambassador- the prince, Lin, and his servants. The princes was a worthy adversary in Zuko's earlier days for training and practice until his visits became less and less along the years during the problems in Zuko's marriage. The man was able to rest calmly knowing he was to come yet the Northern Water Tribe refused to answer his call which was a grave insult. Sending another ship to knock on their waters for their reply, Zuko realized that someone ill was boding in the air.

Yet, it all started the day Azula passed away.

Months passed since that time, Zuko and Mai rarely spoke unless it regarded their children or the affairs of state- when he sleeps he feels nothing but Mai's hair against his face as her back is turned. She was never one to openly show her affection, neither was he- yet, it was blatantly obvious they both wanted to hold each other and cry. Yet, their pride made such an effort forbidden to them and so they merely would lay there and contemplate on the other without much warmth.

"Are you ever going to talk to me about it?"

Two years later, Zuko is shocked by this question as he turned to his wife sitting across from him on the dinner table. His son squirmed uncomfortably, already seven and understanding of the situation to a fair extent, he seemed to unconsciously feel the tension setting in on the group. Their daughter, only three, is far too spellbound by the food before her to even look up at the stares their parents are sharing.

The Fire Lord coughed before clearing his throat.

"Talk about what…Mai?"

He finally asks, yet knowing full well. Mai was not amused by these actions and merely glared at his question before taking another sip of her wine.

"We aren't the kids we were before, Zuko, I expect you to have learned that earlier on," she began with her gaze dropping to her children, "People change and I fear you haven't learned that lesson quiet well- your sister's suicide should have given you a wake up message at your own state."

Zuko slams his fork and knife onto the plate with a loud crash- this alerts the children to stare him in fright. His face as contorted into a sneer of hatred at Mai's words, partly of disgust at how she referred to his sister so casually after everything and another element of revulsion that she would dare do it before their children.

"Tai-Zhi," Zuko muttered darkly, turning to his son, "Take your sister and go to your rooms please."

Tai-Zhi bit his lip for a moment and shifted his gaze from his mother to his father for a few moments. He understood the importance of it in his own way before grabbing his sister's hand and tugging her away from the two adults who stood in union. Mai led him to their room before closing the door- they argued much like the other times before, yet this instance he fired back.

Zuko remembers this as the first time he has ever hit a woman in such a fit of rage.

Regrettably, Zuko went on his knees to beg for forgiveness as Mai's fingers felt the harshness of his callous imprint of the strike. They never spoke of it afterwards- even after Mai, after two more years, asked for a short term separation. She had said it quietly one night before they were going to bed- in the same stoic expression on her face before closing her eyes and listened to his silence.

Zuko was not surprised, yet he was insulted and disgusted.

Allowing it, he sent Mai in secret to her parent's home along with his children- Tai-Zhi clung to his father mercilessly before he had to go. Mai pulled him away into the cart before handing him two letters which arrived for him the day before. Letters dating the Avatar's arrival and one of the prince's slight delays but promises of arriving; Zuko thanked Mai for it before bowing his head. Leaping with an awkward hug, and a broken smile, Mai went into the carriage and told him that it would only before a few months but Zuko knew that those months would be a deciding factor which he would not control.

Control was something he hated to lack.

----

_July 24__th__, 1543_

Aang was not entirely sure what to prepare for during his journey.

Brushing his hand through his head, he fussed with the short pieces of brown in the small mirror Katara had provided. The dark skinned woman smiled at his antics before putting her hand through his hair and pushing some down and some up before pressing a kiss against his cheek.

"It looks fine the way it is," she said with a calming smile, "Perhaps you should remember that you are the Avatar and that it is fine to look the way you are."

Katara sighed before holding her stomach slightly, a bulge very obvious through her Water Tribe clothing, before shifting her sitting position to one of more comfort. Aang smiled shyly before rubbing the back of his head as the redness of the rocky hills began to fade from the moment they left the port.

"I know," he replied with a sheepish sigh, "But its been so long since Zuko has seen us and to drop in on such a depression note…"

"Its been long since Zuko has seen me!" Katara noted, lifting an eyebrow, "You used to come here once a year while I had to take care of the Water Tribe- off on your Avatar duties in the other countries. I'm going to be the shocker for Fire Lord Zuko, just look at this!"

Katara patted her stomach for emphasis before Aang frowned with a whining voice.

"I don't see why you pressed to come! I mean," he gulped at Katara's harsh glare, "the baby and your health on such a long distance ride-,"

"Are you saying I'm incapable?"

"I would never-,"

"Then you're saying I'm capable of doing this?"

Katara raised an eyebrow before Aang hung his head in defeat before letting out another droned out sigh. Pulling her fingers through her thick hair, she narrowed her eyes in thought of her brother's face the moment she had left the Southern Water Tribe with her husband to visit the Fire Nation- a look of false strength and a man who's world was crumbling on his shoulders.

She shook for a moment at the memory before she felt Aang hand upon her shoulder in a loving gesture. She smiled up weakly towards him before looking out the window as her eyes narrowed to the barren fields and the burning houses. Guards were stationed everywhere as the people of the nation seemed far more lean and diseased- the ground cracked in various places as dust kicked up in aroma of parched desert, the two found themselves unconsciously licking their lips.

"Such a hit," Katara mumbled looking at the people in pity, "The rivers have dried up and the ocean is not safe to drink so close to harbor, these people are all suffering-,"

Aang gripped his arms as they were folded before his chest.

"All starting after the suicide of Azula…" the Avatar mumbled slightly, narrowing his gaze.

Katara felt a small wind blow through her hair as she looked down towards the cracked roads and finally back up to see the vision of the Fire Lord's castle in sight- yet this time, we wasn't as tempted to run inside.

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Review? :D


	2. Wake Up

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar.

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**Chapter 1  
**

"The waters are choppy, Prince Lin," the guard managed, "Please forgive us, we will have to delay once more.. The mist is becoming harder to see though."

The guard bowed his head as he entered the room; the prince adjusted his headdress slightly before smiling and nodding to the servant.

"You and your men are forgiven, soldier," the Prince replied, "But can you bring some tea for the General and I?"

The guard nodded before he closed the door as the prince went back to the mirror and adjusted the green, elaborate headdress to be symmetrical against his face. His brown eyes were slanted slightly as his dark hair was stuffed into the large diadem. Hiding his hands in the long, falling sleeves of the golden royal attire before turning to the man reading a small novel in the corner of the room, he smiled sheepishly to him.

"General Gang, are you even reading?" he inquired, his tone playful.

The man looked up from his position in the book before a small wave of red washed over his façade. He put his face back into the book before nodding furiously. The Prince laughed at his antics before the General allowed the book to fall to the floor of the cabin and put his armored hand over his head with a loud groan.

"Forgive me, my crown Prince," he started, peeking his dark eyed gaze back to the young man, "My mind is… else where."

"On the smile of my sister, I can safely assume?" the Prince teased, closing his eyes and looking away.

The General froze before remembering his place and scrambling to his feet. He bowed respectfully to the Prince before lifting his gaze slightly and licking his lips, his brown hair managed to fall out of the neat ponytail and poke out sporadically in random area.

"Forgive me! Prince Lin, I know that would be disrespectful-," the General began, already flustered.

"There is no need to forgive thinking of your own wife, General," the Prince began in a civil note, "You are a noble of your own caliber and a soldier proven in rank- a fine choice for my sister."

The Prince finally turned to look at the man, a movement resembling that of a trained panther staring at his newly stalked prey.

"I dare believe she may hold some sort of romantic affection for you, but I digress," he approached the man before leaning down to stare him in the face, "Yet, there is no one more excellent for my sister than myself, but… that would be rather morally incorrect. Therefore, she must make do with whatever comes second best."

"Y-Yes, M'lord," the General agreed, though slightly disturbed by the Prince's obsessive adulation of his sister but spoke nothing of it in fear of disrespecting him.

The Prince saw his words in a positive light before approaching the wall where three medium sized paintings hung. The last portrait, beside his, was of a young girl with her dark hair pulled up in an exotic style of one bun pulled up at the top of her hair, allowing the rest of the hair to fall over and behind her shoulders. The purple of her dress was highlighted in the picture along with the image of her heart shaped face and large, brown eyes- yet, the girl looked no more than fifteen.

"Chun Huang," the Prince began, looking at the portrait on his wall lovingly, "….Whatever makes you blissful, I will gladly approve."

The General cringed slightly under the scrutinizing glare of the Prince before a knock on the door signaled the soldier had arrived with the tea.

"Ah, please retrieve the tea for me, General Gang," the Prince instructed before slipping behind the desk and observing the maps, "For... these mists are puzzling and they are terrorizing me to quite a saddening extent!"

-----

The destruction in the country had only been the preparation for the Avatar and his partner to understand the horrors the king had been facing. Aang lifts himself out of the carriage before narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the surrounding guards, they seem far more… reserved than intimidating. Their eyes vacant and their minds seeming to know nothing outside the ideology of serving; Katara cringed as they opened the door to reveal a dusty passage towards the throne room.

"How long has it been since," Katara muttered, running her fingers through her hair, "you visited him..?"

"Since I was last asked," Aang lowered his gaze, "..years."

Karata frowned before licking her lips as they followed the two guards down the darkened hallway. The lights from the candles seemed to only enhance the lacking appeal of the chipping red paint and the degrading cloth of the tapestries which once shone with golden thread and crimson silk. Her girlish memory reminded her of days when she would run with Toph and Sokka would pursue with a shrill laugh while Zuko complained with a smile about their presence.

Mai would roll her eyes with a dazzle in her iris that showed her approval and Ti-Zhu would giggle from his mother's arms and Katara would ask questions about mother hood to the older girl. Mai would always shrug and say that it was a bother but needed to be done- then her eyes with twinkle once more and a smile would cross her face. Zuko seemed to slowly become annoyed with Mai's 'bland' attitude towards life and would sometimes try to inspire her to think differently- yet, he failed each time and then some.

Aang would lecture him on changing a person- Zuko would fire back with threats of beheading. They would laugh and disappear to the guard afterwards, perhaps to play a game which only Elder would enjoy and Zuko began to end his sentences with 'Uncle would say' less and less. Katara remembered these days just by walking through, yet all the tear-jerking nostalgia disappeared the moment the throne room became a sight to be beheld. Scrolls, books, papers and pens were throws around messily and unthinkingly, they were skewered everywhere on the floors and on the walls and in the centre of it was the Fire Lord only reason and flipping back to another page and book on the other side of the room.

"Zuko… What are you?" Aang started with a worried note in his tone.

Zuko looked up in acknowledgement before looking back down at his pages and crouching in a random area before inspecting pages and scrolls once more.

"There notes just make no sense!" Zuko frowned, scratching his head, before throwing the scroll to the other side of the room.

Aang licked his lips before approaching his friend, still not taller than him in height but in worldly and otherworldly wisdom- he easily surpassed the Fire Lord. Zuko bit his lip as Aang picked up the scroll he had thrown and opened it up while walking towards the man.

"These are music notes, it's a composed Symphony," Aang began looking at the torn edges, "But it seems to only be a piece of it."

Zuko stared at the Avatar before images of Azula's broken expression in prison shot back to him, Mai's disgust as she loaded their children into the carriage and Ozai's tears of betrayal haunted him in his dreams- yet not they came to life in the image of the Avatar.

"Why are you here?" Zuko asked.

"We were worried after getting your letter," Aang began then trailed off, "-and of the rumors I have heard of you and Mai-,"

"Splitting up?" Zuko laughed bitterly, "Oh no. She can't leave me. I am the Fire Lord. She- she is a mere woman!"

"Zuko!" Katara jumped in immediately at his words, already offended at his antifeminist statement.

Zuko shook his head before closing his eyes.

"You two won't understand-," he muttered.

"You planned that one so many years ago, Zuko, don't retrace your steps and go backwards!" Aang commanded, glaring more intensely at the Fire Lord.

"What… What would Uncle do," Zuko stumbled slightly, gripping onto Aang's shoulders, "Tell me, what stupid tea joke would be make that would suddenly make sense at the end of the day? What?"

He shook his head before Katara placed a hand on his back before Zuko's strength gave out and he collapsed onto the screamed for help as Katara slowly tried to raise them from off the ground.

"Zuko! Fire Lord Zuko!! Aang called, shaking his face.

Zuko did not stir, Katara put her hand on Aang's to stop the shaking.

"He is exhausted… he looks like hasn't slept in days," Katara looked towards the broken man, "Give him a rest and a logical mind to think before speaking to usagain…"

Aang remained silent before lowering his gaze as the guards lifted up their fallen Fire Lord and carried him to his room- the Avatar and his wife in tow.

----

"The winds have changed…" the prince muttered, extending his pale hand outside of the golden robes.

His dark eyes narrowed against the slapping feeling of the winds as the sea water brought an unholy high to his senses. His lips were closed to a serious thin line as he kept a stoic expression on the darkened skies. Merely a half an hour ago, the skies had been a bright white and blue and the winds weren't howling in such an intense passion to strike.

Being a man of the sea, this did not unnerve him- yet, something in him was ticking rapidly as if he felt his time was running out.

"Your Highness," the guard jumped at the prince's unexpected intrusion, "Should you really be on deck? It's getting a lot more rough-,"

The Prince raised his hand to silence the guard who immediately obeyed his command. He tilted his head slightly backwards so that his left eye could watch the image of a saluting General emerging from the quarters' hallway. Donned in his entire earth kingdom outside, they were merely off the short of the Fire Nation and only a half an hour away from reaching the port until this mist had settled thickly and the skies had darkened.

"Something ill bodes within that nation," the Prince muttered with narrowed eyes, "Sometimes that plans to infect the entire world within its wrath… General Gang!"

The General snapped to his attention at the Prince's sharp order and approached him immediately by kneeling the moment he had approached the royal man and lowered his head with a loud 'HO' as an acknowledgment. The Prince slid his gaze from the General to the sky once more before licking his lips.

"Increase the speed, General Gang, we must reach the Fire Nation within half the time- else I worry what may occur," the Prince commanded blandly, putting no emphasis on any specific word.

"But, Your Excellency, our engines are-," the General froze at the cold glare brought on by the intense gaze of the Prince.

"Do you dare to defy my order?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow with the intensity of his stare.

The General swallowed back his retorted before lifting his head and putting his open palm against his chest and bowing once more. It only took a second before the General's eyes widened as dark shadows hung over the ship and the sound of swirling waters grew more and more powerful. The Prince turned to look forward once more to see three large spirals of water gushing out from the sea into the sky in an endless arena of aquatic challenges.

"W-What is this!? Water bending?!" one of the guards sputtered, staggering backwards.

The Prince became lost for words as his arms opened slightly and his fingers shook before he stumbled backwards. Soon, the cyclones turned into frozen ice columns standing before them as monuments to attest the force of nature which once stood there. A large snap caught their attention followed by many others as the ice columns slowly broke itself into pieces and threw themselves at the ship.

"Protect the Prince!" the General cried, unsheathing his blade.

The Prince, on the other hand, staggered back against the wall and shut his eyes in fear as he began pinned from smaller pieces of ice. The other soldiers were bleeding, some dead from fatal stabs, and some lost limbs from larger pieces of ice. The ship was howling and screaming with agony of all sorts and, in the centre, had the Prince strung up by smaller pieces of ice. He scoffed as he tried to free himself among the screeches and screams only to hear another crack as a large, final piece of the ice aimed itself towards him.

His eyes widened, his fingers twitched and his breathing became irregular. His lips parted yet his throat refused to allow the scream which threatened to leave his mouth to escape. The General looked towards his prince's direction before abandoning his blade and running forward- time seemed to slow down in that very moment. General Gang gritted his teeth together as he felt the ice slide straight through his chest and out the other side, he let out a cry as blood escaped his lips and he collapsed to his knees.

"General Gang!!!" the Prince cried, his expression stained with fear.

The General slid to the floor, his hand on his heart before he pulled away from the cracked armor and saw blood tainting his fingers and two small petals of a white, not crimson stained orchid, falling to the ground before him. He collapsed finally in a dead heap upon the ground as more soldiers managed to lift themselves up and come to their royal prince's rescue, the General who gave his life for the crowned prince laid on the ground among his fallen men.

"To the Fire Nation!" The Prince shrieked, his mask of a calm visage destroyed with tears streaming his face and blood over his clothes, "Don't just stand there! Now! Now! Now!"

The wind howled again, the black wind chimed for the beginning or a new stage and a new act.

The site of the Fire Nation's port through the mist is calming enough, yet the guards remain silent among each other. They merely look at one another and communicate through their movement and their eyes- for just looking behind they would see the Prince cradling the bloodied, dead General in his arms with tears coursing down his countenance.

"Chun Hyang…I am sorry," he muttered painfully, "So very sorry…"

---

In the shrubbery of the garden, her fingers press against the flowers of the arrangement. Her dark hair falling messily over her shoulders with brown eyes reflecting the gold and red of the bright carnations as her hands caressed over the petals. Exhaling softly, the girl merely slid her back to admire her arrangement before smiling softly to herself. The serene atmosphere is almost unearthly a small harp sat beside her in the grassy area below.

She frowned slightly, pursing her lips towards to make a dissatisfied 'O' towards the look of the flowers before moving a small hidden white orchid to the centre of the piece. She smiled, pleased, and eventually settled to carry herself to play against her harp.

"Mistress Chun Hyang," the maid called from the doorway, "I have a letter from your husband!"

The princess smiled before shaking her head.

"Terrible reminders of a terrible state our world is in," Chun Hyang muttered furtively, "That is probably days old- his mind has changed since he has written it and I'd loathe to linger upon past words…"

Like a trained musician, her continued her fingers over the strings to give birth to a beautiful melody surrounding the garden. Her tranquility and her grace captivated the common women working at their stations and the guards who allowed their time to catch a glance at the well brought up young lady.

As if a coldness ran up her body, Chun Hyang gasp before her index finger pulled in sharply and broke the last tone- breaking the entirely melody with an abrupt twang. The maids looked over in disbelief at the sudden interruption only to see the princess staring at her broken harp and finally at her finger, already bleeding from a small wound from the tip to the middle of the finger.

"That's strange," she muttered narrowing her dark eyes, "This harp has lasted for years- not once has ever a string ever broken against my hand…"

One of the maids instantaneously brought a soaked cloth along with a few utensils used to clean the gash and already began to work against the bleeding finger.

"You must be careful, Your Excellency!" she stated, worried over the blood upon the cloth, "Your music is most stunning, it would be a shame to ruin your fingers!"

"Perhaps it is an omen," the Princess muttered, softening her gaze and wincing at the burning alcohol to clean the wound.

The maid chuckled slightly.

"So superstitious, Mistress," she shook her heard, "Bad things never happen to good people! If it did, then our ancestors should be damned!"


End file.
